04-12-2013, 05:28 AM
I guess I think in terms of an expanded pentatonic scale (like all the pentatonic "modes" strung together along the neck) when I go to solo, but when I play rhythm parts I honestly just don't think about anything except the way it sounds. Like I'll play a note and then think "this needs some more notes" so I'll mess around until I find the notes I'm hearing in my head, and then I'll think "I want to go up", and I'll go up and rearrange the chord as needed. Or a lot of times recently I'll just change individual notes within a chord, and kinda go back or something, whatever suits the rhythm. Even when I go to write other parts, like a chorus to fit a verse or something, I'll just strike a random chord based on whatever I feel like it should be. I've gotten pretty good at just feeling out what I'm hearing in my head.
I think modes are dumb because they just don't sound as good. Also things sound much better (to my ear) if you start with a pentatonic and then add a few extra scale notes. It just sounds boring if you go straight through a major or minor scale.
I definitely don't think learning theory would hurt me, but I don't really feel like it would help me that much either. Well, more theory anyway. I already know more than your average bear. Except that most of my knowledge is actually just music notation and terminology, which is that helpful.
I think modes are dumb because they just don't sound as good. Also things sound much better (to my ear) if you start with a pentatonic and then add a few extra scale notes. It just sounds boring if you go straight through a major or minor scale.
I definitely don't think learning theory would hurt me, but I don't really feel like it would help me that much either. Well, more theory anyway. I already know more than your average bear. Except that most of my knowledge is actually just music notation and terminology, which is that helpful.